William Forbes

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William Forbes

Bank: National Provincial Bank of England

Place of work: London Sloane Street branch

Died: 26 September 1918

William Guthrie Forbes was born in Stokesley, Yorkshire on 17 January 1890. His father, Dr William Guthrie Forbes, had died the previous September, leaving his widow Louisa Ross Forbes to raise their daughter, Nina, and two sons, Alec and William.

In November 1906, when Forbes was 16 years old, he went to work for National Provincial Bank of England as apprentice at its Thornaby on Tees branch. His older brother Alec was already serving an apprenticeship at the bank's Stokesley branch. William himself was transferred to Stokesley branch in 1908, after Alec had already moved on to another branch.

After completing his three-year apprenticeship, William moved to Sheffield branch as a clerk. In October 1912 he was transferred to Bishop Auckland branch, and then in March 1914 to London Marylebone branch. In February 1915 he moved to London Sloane Street branch.

Alongside his work at the bank, William joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, serving in the London Anti-Aircraft section. He was later commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was drafted to France in September 1916, less than a month after his older brother Alec had died there while serving as a Captain in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Forbes remained on the Western Front for the next two years, earning the Military Cross and further promotions, rising to the rank of Major in June 1918. He died in France on 26 September 1918, the day after being wounded. He was 28 years old.